tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85909453646955216002018-03-11T05:17:47.240-07:00A Library QuestJoin my quest of enjoying books from the public library. Nicole MissDotHackernoreply@blogger.comBlogger312125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-56409946709168975092018-03-08T20:51:00.001-08:002018-03-08T20:51:40.199-08:00Unbelievable<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518061137l/1537534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518061137l/1537534.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1537534.Unbelievable">Unbelievable </a>was quite the ride. I was so excited to see Unbelievable in the e-library and available. I quickly downloaded the story and dove right in. <br /><br />With Emily's secret out and her transformation through a reform program a total failure her parents have shipped her to Iowa to be with conservative family. Horrified at the strict rules Emily just wants out. However one small comfort is A no longer has control over her every movement.<br /><br />Aria just could not keep her hands off her teacher and due to a little secret A told he is now behind bars. Homeless and alone once again Aria tries to keep it all together while attempting to ignore further problems A is causing.<br /><br />Continuing her therapy sessions Spencer is terrified she is not recalling the night Ali disappeared correctly and is involved in her death somehow. Horrified at the thought of having killed her best friend she desperately tries to remember clearly what happened that night.<br /><br />Hanna is the worst off, having figure out who A is from a slip up on a text she is now in the hospital fighting for her life after being ran over by A. Struggling to wake up from her coma her friends desperately hope she will be alright and reveal who A is. <br /><br /><i>Unbelievable </i>was one fast read, I could not wait to find out if Hanna remembered who A was. I have had a theory all along on how A got the information (hooray I was right) and I had some people in mind as well on who could be doing the stalking. My only thought is the story seemed pretty well tied up at the end so I am not sure how it will continue, I do have <i>Wicked </i>downloaded but I have not started reading it yet. I am hoping it will present a new intrigue that grabs my attention. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-37193930190316549552018-03-08T20:20:00.000-08:002018-03-08T20:20:11.561-08:00Perfect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1363681820l/1651302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1363681820l/1651302.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1651302.Perfect"><i>Perfect</i> </a>is the third book in the Pretty Little Liar's series.<br /><br />The Rosewood girls just cannot seem to catch a break from the mysterious A and every moment I read was full of twists and turns for each girl.<br /><br />Aria's life is going downhill fast with no where to turn to she relies on her new boyfriend for help while secretly wishing her old boyfriend was anyone but her teacher.<br /><br />Emily still cannot come to terms with her sexuality and is a worried mess that her parents will disown her if they find out.<br /><br />Hanna is a mess, having to deal with her parents messy divorce and being jealous of her soon to be step sister just makes her life more complicated. Add in she is losing her support group when her best friend suddenly losses interest in her Hanna has no idea where to go to see a friendly face.<br /><br />Spencer continues to struggle with clawing her way out of Melissa's, her sister, shadow while keeping up the perfect balance of school and athletics.<br /><br />All four girls have problems and they seem to get bigger as A reveals more and more knowledge about them but the time for things to come out of the shadows is soon approaching.<br /><br /><i>Perfect </i>defiantly had a lot more drama, tense moments, and blow ups for all four of the girls. I found myself cheering for them as I pondered who A might be. The ending was thrilling and I could not wait too get the fourth book, <i>Unbelievable</i>. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-5050900108479189462018-03-06T22:24:00.004-08:002018-03-06T22:24:49.951-08:00Of Poseidon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327879889l/12425532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327879889l/12425532.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12425532-of-poseidon"><i>Of Poseidon</i></a> did not turn out how I expected. I have been wanting an exciting story with a merperson theme to it but <i>Of Poseidon</i> was disappointing.The lovely cover and intriguing name pulled me as I was browsing books in the Nook store so I downloaded a sample and the first chapter was exciting and captivating. Quickly I ordered Of Poseidon from the library and eagerly awaited for it to arrive but soon after I got it I just could not immerse myself in the story, after a few pages I would get bored. <br /><br />Emma dose not seem well thought out to me and comes off as flat and I had a hard time imagining her as a real person in any way. I really wanted to like her since she seemed to have interesting moments but as I look back she just feels so underdeveloped and believes everything way too quickly.<br /><br />Galen had the potential to be another great character but he comes off as a little too perfect. I understand he is an ambassador for the <span id="freeTextContainer12903977252874033075">Syrena but he just seems too alright with how things are in the human world. I wanted to see far more confusing moments when Galen had no clue what was going on and making mistakes because he is meant to be under the water.&nbsp;</span><br /><span id="freeTextContainer12903977252874033075"><br /></span><span id="freeTextContainer12903977252874033075">The writing was not bad but it did not hold my attention. Yet despite this I do want to know what happens overall however I do not feel like I can force myself to read <i>Of Triton</i> at this point, maybe in a few weeks. I am tempted to just look at the spoilers for the story and skip reading it altogether since I was not overly impressed with <i>Of Poseidon</i>. </span>Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-75168150444581190822018-02-21T15:57:00.001-08:002018-02-21T15:57:28.932-08:00Flawless<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518062388l/162089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518062388l/162089.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/162089.Flawless">Flawless </a></i>is the second book in the <i>Pretty Little Liars Series</i>.<br /><br />While I really like the suspense building, characters, and story lines that Sara Shepard writes I struggle not to get the characters mixed up. I had hoped with the second book I would get more of a handle on which secret goes with which girl but alas that is not the case. I do enjoy reading about the girls with their every day problems and flaws, it makes them feel real.<br /><br />Spencer seems like the perfect student who gets all As and has everything set up for a college scholarship. Yet the stress of school and her parents expectations are clearly getting to her. Without a doubt I can relate to Spencer the most.<br /><br />Emily is obviously struggling to come to terms with herself and is terrified that the mysterious A knows more about her then anyone else. Terrified of the truth Emily does much better hiding who she is from everyone including herself. Once again Emily comes off as a totally believable character who is trying to learn to that what she sees as flaws is not flaws.<br /><br />Hannah has never come to terms with her parents divorce or the fact that her father is spending time with his new wife's daughter and not her. Comparing her body to everyone else is literally making her ill while her world crumbles around her.<br /><br />Aria lives in fear that her mother will find out she knows what her father is doing and does her best to protect everyone from the truth while trying to fix things on her own. Dealing with the stress of having found out the guy she dated over the summer is now her teacher she struggles to move on with dating boys her own age.<br /><br />All the girls have serious life problems that plague girls in real life and I love how Sara Shepard is not scared to expose the ugly truth to people. Appearances can be deceiving and all these girls have a lot to learn. At this point I have no clue who the killer is and I do plan on reading Perfect as soon as it is available from the library. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-69944995717882730902018-02-09T17:21:00.001-08:002018-02-09T17:21:12.552-08:00Pretty Little Liars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1377830522l/162085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1377830522l/162085.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>Last year I read <i>The Lying Game</i> and loved it so I finally checked out <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/162085.Pretty_Little_Liars"><i>Pretty Little Liars</i></a> from the library. Pretty Little Liars is a bit slower to start then The Lying Game was but none the less it held my attention long enough for me to finish it and check out <i>Flawless </i>from the library.<br /><br />It has been three years since Alison disappeared and her best friends have moved on with their life after facing the struggled that Alison may never come back. Starting high school the girls eagerly anticipate ruling the school as the cliche group to be in but that dream is soon crushed when the girls start getting notes, texts, and emails reminding them of&nbsp; their deep dark secrets. Each message is simply signed A and the girls do not know what to think.<br /><br />It did take a bit for the suspense to build and really get me to the point where I could not put the story down. I do enjoy Sara Shepard's writing style and the way she builds up characters. I do hope to continue with the series and get to each girl along with their secrets. My only issue with the story right now is how self centered each girl is but hopefully they outgrow that as the story progresses. <br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-34065187119065740002018-02-03T17:27:00.005-08:002018-02-03T17:27:53.310-08:00Nefertiti<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320449837l/2870927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="291" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320449837l/2870927.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>I downloaded a sample of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2870927-nefertiti">Nefertiti </a></i>awhile ago on my Nook and just now got to it.<br /><br />They story is told from Nefertiti's younger sisters points of view <span id="freeTextContainer4398465626929548080">Mutnodjmet. Hungry for power Nefertiti is beside herself when she is chosen to be the chief wife to the ambitious Pharaoh. Determined to be the only one in the Pharaoh's eyes Nefertiti thinks through each move beautifully all the while winning the love of the people of Egypt. With a strong desire to be needed and remembered Nefertiti feeds the Pharaoh's ideas of a lesser deity becoming the main God of Egypt and joins the venture to move the capitol of Egypt. While the story is told from Mutnodjmet's point of view it still feels like Neferitit's story and I loved every word of it.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span id="freeTextContainer4398465626929548080">I am happy to learn that Michelle Morgan wrote a sequel to Neferititi and I cannot wait to see if the library has it.&nbsp; </span><br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-52688271195555254992018-01-29T19:15:00.001-08:002018-01-29T19:15:49.296-08:00A Wrinkle in Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1329061522l/18131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1329061522l/18131.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>I knew I had read a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18131.A_Wrinkle_in_Time"><i>Wrinkle in Time</i></a> while in gradeschool but I had no memory of the plot and just recalled it scared the daylights out of me. While I was at a movie I saw a preview for the movie and thought I should read the story again.<br /><br />I am not even really sure how to review the story, it is a strange story and I do not like the ending at all. I understand it is a series but I do not think I will read any more of the books. The writing got a bit tedious for me, lots of use of the characters names and I got sick of reading the words "Charles Wallace" and I did not really understand the villain. Meg also drove me crazy with whining about everything. I am glad I did take the time to read it again though and refresh my memory about the plot. <br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-63740515882777734342018-01-20T18:17:00.004-08:002018-01-20T18:17:43.499-08:00Day of the Dragon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347570993l/100427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="246" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347570993l/100427.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/100427.Day_of_the_Dragon">Day of the Dragon</a> </i>is the first book in the <i>Warcraft </i>series and I have waited a long time to read it. I was beyond excited to find it on the shelves of the local second hand store.<br /><br /><span id="freeText6327444176053689956">Rhonin is a young and upcoming mage among the Kirin Tor but he lacks discipline and dedication. That is why when a dangerous mission arises Rhonin is chosen. With the war between the alliance and the horde continuing the Kirin Tor decide that it is time the Orcs stop using the dragon queen, Alexstrasza, to breed a dragon army. Knowing the mission is dangerous and that stealth is a must Rhonin is chosen for the task. Traveling across the land is dangerous and hard to navigate so the Kirin Tor enlist the help of the elves getting a ranger to guide Rhonin. Veera is not overly fond of her assignment but she obeys orders and she did take an oath to see her mission through to the end.&nbsp;</span><br /><span id="freeText6327444176053689956"><br /></span><span id="freeText6327444176053689956">I enjoyed the writing style a lot except for all the cliff hangers, so many of them. Just when something exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time happened the story would jump to someone else. Drove me crazy but also made me want to read faster. I do hope to be able to find the rest of the series and continue to learn more background about characters I like. </span><br /><span id="freeText6327444176053689956"><br /></span>Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-27615318779493697912018-01-13T11:54:00.002-08:002018-01-13T11:54:23.159-08:00Tracking Justice <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348473159l/15803315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348473159l/15803315.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15803315-tracking-justice">Tracking Justic</a>e </i>was on the front page of my library's ebook selection and since I adore Shirlee McCoy's stories it was a quick grab.<br /><br />Eva is desperate to find her son when he is taken out of his window in the middle of the night. With almost no clues to go on and no real leads a canine tracking unit is brought in. Austin with his dog Justice is determined to find the boy no matter what it takes.&nbsp; <br /><br />Like the majority of Shirlee McCoy books I have read the girl does depend on the guy a lot to protect her normally I strongly dislike this but with Shirlee McCoy's writing flair it just feels right. <i>Tracking Justice</i> is a light, fun, read with strong moments of suspense. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-72141828445666977352018-01-06T18:32:00.000-08:002018-01-06T18:32:10.564-08:00The American Heiress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1307342832l/9999107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="208" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1307342832l/9999107.jpg" /></a></div>I cannot recall how<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9999107-the-american-heiress"> <i>The American Heiress</i></a> came to be in my to read pile but I am thankful it did.<br /><br />Cora Cash is the catch of the season in New York, rich beyond belief and the only daughter of the family she is due to inherit all the family money. No normal man is enough for Mrs. Cash's daughter and she has her mind made up that Cora will marry as close to nobility as possible. Determined to see her daughter safely wed Mrs. Cash bundles her up and sends her to England to find a title. Thrilled beyond belief when Cora is saved by a bachelor Duke Mrs. Cash quickly plays match maker.<br /><br />Cora was a fascinating character, determined to live her own life out from under the control of mother Cora fights every chance she gets for freedom. I love the struggle that is shown with Cora, despite being rich she just wants to be normal and accepted by everyone not seen for the amount of money she has. A well rounded character with flaws, weaknesses, and moments of strength Cora came to life right out of the pages of the story.<br /><br />The writing was elegant and an experience all it's own. I would gladly read another work by Daisy Goodwin. <br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-29692076361701291422018-01-05T20:38:00.001-08:002018-01-05T20:38:42.946-08:00The Christmas Catch <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345125181l/15831305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345125181l/15831305.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15831305-the-christmas-catch"><i>The Christmas Catch</i></a> was a Free Friday book and it sure was a cute book to get into the holiday spirit with.<br /><br />Christine wants to connect with her four year old son so she rents a car and agrees to house sit for her best friend. On her way to the cabin Christine manages to get her vehicle stuck and a good samaritan stops to help her out. Little does Christine know she wont be able to get the man out of her mind. All too soon Christine bumps into John at the store and their story begins.<br /><br /><i>The Christmas Catch</i> is a sweet, caring, clean, fast read story that was just for fun. Well a written plot with some fun twists it does not require deep thought or extensive concentration. I would read another story by <i>Ginny Baird </i>if I ever see one. <br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-31373310477662959662017-12-23T21:11:00.003-08:002017-12-23T21:11:58.182-08:00The Other Einstein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461026382l/28389305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461026382l/28389305.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Women's history has always fascinated me so when I noticed a book about Einstein's first wife in the local bookstore I knew I had to read it. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28389305-the-other-einstein"><i>The Other Einstein</i></a> is a fascinating book written from <span id="freeTextContainer14838837956558108137">Mileva Einstein's point of view.</span><br /><span id="freeTextContainer14838837956558108137"><br /></span><span id="freeTextContainer14838837956558108137">Mileva was an interesting character and obviously a strong woman to attend a university at a time when women were suppose to stay home, tend to their husbands, and raise children. Clearly she was brilliant and I did get the impression throughout the whole story that Marie Benedict assumed Albert's interest in her was to use her impressive intelligent to advance his own ideas. This became more apparent as the story went on, while this is a work of fiction I would like to think that Marie Benedict did get some of her assumptions correct.&nbsp;</span><br /><span id="freeTextContainer14838837956558108137"><br /></span><span id="freeTextContainer14838837956558108137">The writing was smooth and clearly creating a vivid picture of Mileva's lifestyle and dreams. I would read more of Marie Benedict's work. </span>Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-84774117193004506112017-12-22T20:57:00.001-08:002017-12-22T20:57:21.993-08:00Terra Incognita<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442865917l/1636776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442865917l/1636776.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1636776.Terra_Incognita"><i>Terra Incognita</i> </a>was a random choice from the local bookstore that was closing. Sadly the description was the most exciting part for me. I did like the start and the set up of the plot but it quickly got boring for me however I did want to know who the "Stag Man" was so I kept reading. I think part of the problem was that <i>Terra Incognita </i>is the second book in a series and I did not know that at the time. <br /><br />Ruso was an interesting character, being a military doctor I expected him to be disciplined and firm he was not that. He was funny though when he tried to make sense of his slave Tilla and her womanly ways. While both character felt well rounded with strong personalities the story did drag and gave a lot of useless information in my opinion. It also left some other smaller mysteries unsolved that I would have liked to know more about. I do not think&nbsp; will read anymore of Ruth Downie's work the writing is just not to my liking.Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-87682504438933517802017-11-04T15:59:00.004-07:002017-11-04T15:59:54.677-07:00Land<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1335546217l/13614942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1335546217l/13614942.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>I am not sure how <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13614942-land"><i>Land </i></a>ended up on my Nook but it was a late night pick when I could not sleep. The overall story was a bit strange and the plot line too convenient for the kids but despite that I enjoyed the story and do plan on reading <i>Sea </i>at some point.<br /><br />When some Canadian's kids trip to Disneyland goes horribly wrong they are left stranded with no way to communicate with home. Determined to get back to Canada five kids decide to make their way from the happiest place on earth back to home. The trip is not without perils though.<br /><br />Overall the story felt more like a fluffy light read that was somehow dystopian. The writing was not bad but not always clear at times. I did see improvement as the story continued so I hope that will be reflected in <i>Sea</i>. <br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-28129657308988949852017-11-03T21:24:00.001-07:002017-11-03T21:24:21.401-07:00Pirates!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1316638198l/143727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1316638198l/143727.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>I grabbed <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/143727.Pirates_">Pirates!</a> from a clearance shelf at the local book store because I liked the cover and it was cheap. While I did like the story it is hard to say why, the story was nothing like I though it would be. Despite being a good length book I am hard pressed to really describe the story to someone else, it felt like it should have been full of action but it never seemed that way and it was not a love story either. <br /><br />Nancy's life spiraled out of her control when her father died and she was left in the care of her elder brothers. Determined to keep their business they decide to marry Nancy off to a rich merchant in hopes of saving their late father's business. Having none of that Nancy runs away in the middle of the night with two slaves she has made friends with. Fearing her prospective husband hunting her down Nancy does the only thing she can think of she joins a pirate crew to hide.<br /><br />I expected a lot of adventure, gruffness from Nancy, and pirate escapades, I got none of that. It felt a lot like I was reading a diary of a young woman and less like the adventure it was presented as. Despite the slow writing I also found I could not stop reading. The writing pulled me in and it was hard to put the book down at times. I would consider reading more work by Celia Rees because I like the writing style immensely. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-86647296401456993372017-11-03T21:08:00.003-07:002017-11-03T21:08:56.391-07:00Hunting Prince Dracula <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489420853l/33784373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489420853l/33784373.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33784373-hunting-prince-dracula">Hunting Prince Dracula</a></i> is the second book in the <i>Stalking Jack the Ripper </i>series. It is the intriguing cover that drew me to research the series and get it from the library. <br /><br />Audrey Rose continues to be one of my all time favorite literary characters. Still fascinated with cadavers Audrey travels with Thomas to Romania to compete for a chance to attend a school of forensics medicine. It is not long before a murder takes place right outside the train car Audrey is riding in and soon she finds herself in another tangled web of horrific murders. I really enjoyed seeing the trauma Audrey was suffering from being involved with Jack the Ripper cases, instead of just taking it all in stride Audrey struggled mentally and emotionally to come to terms with what happened. Despite struggling Audrey fought to keep it hidden in order to let her peers see her as an equal and not handicapped by her gender.<br /><br />A couple times I did get confused at the end but it was a complex ending and I was super tired so that could be why.I cannot wait for the third book and I am already trying to think of which famous murders in history Audrey will begin to investigate. I do hope to see more of the wit between Audrey and Thomas continue, they are hilarious when they get going and I love their easy friendship. I was a bit shocked by some of the things that happened in Hunting Prince Dracula but I do not want to post spoilers so I will refrain from mentioning them. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-77377195264299346122017-10-16T20:19:00.001-07:002017-10-16T20:19:17.716-07:00Rebel of the Sands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446829335l/24934065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1446829335l/24934065.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24934065-rebel-of-the-sands">Rebel of the Sands</a> </i>had been sitting on my bookshelf for a while, I knew nothing about it when I finally picked it up and I highly regret putting it off so long. Once I started I could not stop reading and I was quickly drawn into <span id="freeText8195675626981261838">Amani's desert world.&nbsp;</span><br /><span id="freeText8195675626981261838"><br /></span><span id="freeText8195675626981261838">Amani is a young girl desperate to escape her dead end desert town where her uncle is ruthless and cruel. Despite the risks Amani masquerades as a male and enters the shooting firing pit hoping to earn enough money to run away. Instead of winning the pot with her well honed gun skills Amani meets a young foreigner who changes her life and becomes her way out of Dustwalk. Embarking on a journey with the mysterious foreigner Amani learns about the world outside of her small town through trials and tribulations. I loved Amani she was so entertaining and felt real, her flaws, character, personality, and choices made her a well rounded developed character.&nbsp;</span><br /><span id="freeText8195675626981261838"><br /></span><span id="freeText8195675626981261838"><i>Rebel of the Sands</i> is written entirely in first person however I still felt like I got to know the vast array of side characters and enjoy their personality. The writing was quick, delicate, and perfect for the character of the story. I am already on the waiting list for <i>Traitor to the Throne.</i> </span><br /><span id="freeText8195675626981261838"></span>Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-30912508615566986372017-10-10T18:35:00.001-07:002017-10-10T18:35:37.643-07:00Stalking Jack the Ripper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471010109l/28962906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471010109l/28962906.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28962906-stalking-jack-the-ripper"><i>Stalking Jack the Ripper</i></a> drew me in with it's lovely cover and the Halloween feel it gave me reading the description. I loved the story, the writing, and Audrey Rose the main character.<br /><br />Audrey Rose is everything society does not want her to be, smart, studious, adventurous, and determined to forge her own path in a society dominated by males. Learning from her Uncle Audrey Rose enjoying doing autopsies on cadavers while advancing the art of science. With a father determined to keep her safe and ladylike Audrey Rose learning to sneak around to fulfill her need to learn science, this goes well until someone starts killing women and mutilating them. Shoved into the middle of the chaos of the Ripper killings Audrey Rose must use all her wits to survive.<br /><br />I could not get enough of the story and I am eagerly hoping the library will receive the next book in the series, this one had a clear ending despite being part of a series. The writing was lovely, witty, and elegant while painting a clear picture of the world Audrey Rose lived in. <br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-72498185802187608522017-10-10T18:25:00.002-07:002017-10-10T18:25:50.591-07:00The Houdini Spector<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1333579738l/13036104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1333579738l/13036104.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13036104-harry-houdini-mysteries">The Houdini Sector</a></i> is the last book in the <i>The Houdini Mysteries</i> series. All the Harry Houdini mysteries seemed to start slow but they drew me and I could not put them down.<br /><br />Determined to be successful as an escape artist Harry goes about pursuing someone who will hire him to entertain crowds with his daring acts. With the help of his brother Harry gets tangled up in proving that a seance is a fake. All goes well until one of the guests at the seance ends up dead. Confused and befuddled the two brothers work to figure out how and who committed the murder.<br /><br />I will miss the Harry Houdini stories they were fun and I enjoyed Daniel Stashower's style of writing. While it seems no more <i>Harry Houdini mysteries</i> will happen I do plan on reading some other work by Daniel Stashower. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-77485532773854452422017-09-27T20:20:00.001-07:002017-09-27T20:20:17.246-07:00City of Fallen Angels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1369452302l/6752378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1369452302l/6752378.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Since I felt like<i> City of Glass</i> ended the <i>Mortal Instruments </i>series I never bothered to pick up <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6752378-city-of-fallen-angels"><i>City of Fallen Angels</i></a> until I started watching Shadow Hunters on Freeform.<br /><br />I love the angle that was taken with Simon and how things started out with his problems, it felt like he got a bit under-shadowed in the previous books but had a chance to shine in<i> City of Fallen Angels</i>. I did sort of miss the Valentine influence since he had played such a massive role in the previous books however I never wanted to put the book down when my lunch break was over.<br /><br />I don't have the fifth book but I do plan on ordering it from the library. <br /><br />Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-4598766585647287762017-09-23T18:55:00.004-07:002017-09-23T18:55:52.241-07:00United as One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452924630l/27161189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452924630l/27161189.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27161189-united-as-one">United as One</a></i> is the final book in the<i> I am Number Four </i>series. While I loved <i>I am Number Fou</i>r I felt the rest of the series was one let down after another but I did want to know the fate of the Garde so I finished the series. <br /><br />John was the only character I really felt a connection with, I think the other Garde keeping their numbers and not names played a part in that role. Sadly as the series went on I felt less and less connected with the characters and just wanted to know the end. Then I was disappointed in the ending it had so much build up to the grand finale that I felt it was a let d own.<br /><br />One day I may pursue the novellas but not right now I need a break from the characters.&nbsp; Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-16266910014103127802017-09-04T17:33:00.000-07:002017-09-04T17:33:11.405-07:00The Fate of Ten<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429799057l/24488476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429799057l/24488476.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24488476-the-fate-of-ten">The Fate of Ten</a> </i>is the sixth book in the<i> I am Number Four</i> series and it took me awhile to read. I was pretty bored with it in parts.<br /><br />Ella is still fighting to get away from the Mogs and learning to embrace her telepathy. Struggling to hold on to her humanity as she works at escaping Ella is given a special gift that allows her to learn the real story between the Guarde and Mogs.<br /><br />Determined to save humanity John works tirelessly with the other Guarde to fight against the Mogs. Overwhelmed by the odds they fear all is lost when a sacred Lorite temple is revealed. Splitting up half the group goes to Mexico to investigate this temple and the other half race to New York where the Mogs intend to attack.<br /><br />The writing still throws me at times and I do have to think which character is talking at the start of new chapters. Since they are all told from first person point of view it can take me awhile to figure it out. Since I am almost done with the series I do intend to finish it. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-22903645854100987062017-08-20T20:55:00.001-07:002017-08-20T20:55:27.854-07:00The Revenge of Seven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1398024854l/19346451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1398024854l/19346451.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19346451-the-revenge-of-seven">The Revenge of Seven</a></i> is the fifth book in <i>I am Number Four</i> series. So far this has been my least favorite book of the series.<br /><br />Marina is full of desire to take revenge on Five who betrayed the Guarde resulting in the death of one of them. Full of anger Marina forms a new legacy the ability to use moisture to make ice and she intends to use this deadly legacy to hunt down Five.<br /><br />John is struggling to know what to do and forcing himself to the trust Adam, the Mog that was experiment on with a dead guardes body. Unsure on what to do John ignores the advice of the other guarde and agrees to bring Adam into the circle.<br /><br />Still separated the Guarde all work at fulfilling different tasks. I still struggle with figuring out whose point of view is happening quickly, this has never happened to me with any other book series so it is bothering me a lot. Other then that I just found this book filler until the last couple of chapters and unlike the other books in the series this one just flat out stopped. No smooth ending it just was wham I am done. I am too invested in the series to stop with it so I will continue on with <i>The Fate of Ten.</i>Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-48652638146917500192017-08-17T19:44:00.001-07:002017-08-17T19:44:30.574-07:00The General's Notorious Widow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1369820937l/1093758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1369820937l/1093758.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>I cannot recall where I got <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1093758.The_General_s_Notorious_Widow">The General's Notorious Widow</a> but it was not what I imagined at all.<br /><br />I loved the opening of the story, a middle aged woman enjoying a meal who is suddenly harassed by a writer wanting to share her story with the world. Not about to be written about <span id="freeTextContainer15062408449118267729">Lixie tells the writer where to go every way possible including unladylike ways. I waited the whole story for things to go back that way but they never did. I also was not sure what the story was really about it seemed to have a really weak plot line overall.&nbsp;</span><br /><span id="freeTextContainer15062408449118267729"><br /></span><span id="freeTextContainer15062408449118267729">The writing at the start was hilarious and smoothly perfect. I did want it to go back to that and while I never struggled with the writing style I craved more flair. </span>Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8590945364695521600.post-38587849101223250392017-08-09T20:20:00.000-07:002017-08-09T20:20:02.471-07:00The Fall of Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375365364l/15861491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375365364l/15861491.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15861491-the-fall-of-five">The Fall of Five </a></i>is the fourth book in the <i>I am Number Four </i>series.<br /><br />The trend of telling from multiple points of view continues with new points of view added in, sadly like the previous books I did struggle at times to figure out whose point of view it was at times. Having gathered together the Garde is only missing Number Five and soon they have a sign from Five. Determined to unite Four thinks of a plan to find Five and hopefully unite them as a team.<br /><br />For some reason the story felt a bit underwhelming at times for me. I do wish that things were still just told from one point of view. Overall I just prefer a book series stay consistent with points of view and <i>I am Number Four </i>was told entirely from Four's point of view. Despite struggling at times to figure out whose point of view is happening I do have <i>The Revenge of Seven</i> downloaded on my Nook and I cannot wait to start it. Nicole MissDotHackerhttps://plus.google.com/101460502870464124071noreply@blogger.com0